Elite Dealer

1980 Chevrolet Corvette

$39,997

1980 Chevrolet Corvette

Vehicle Details

Make

Chevrolet

Model

Corvette

Year

1980

Mileage

29,345 miles

VIN

1Z878AS403379

Body Type

Coupe

Transmission

Automatic

Engine

350

Description

1980 Chevrolet Corvette — Greenwood Daytona Widebody with 5.7 Liter H.O. 350 and Performance Upgrades Throughout Why This Car Is Special The 1980 Chevrolet Corvette was the last year of the C3 generation to offer the 350 cubic inch High Output V8 in all 50 states — a distinction that matters to buyers who understand what the emissions era cost the Corvette in raw performance terms. By 1980, Chevy had wrestled the L48 350 down to 190 horsepower in most configurations, but this particular car was built up well beyond that baseline. It carries the 5.7 Liter H.O. 350 designation you see on the air cleaner lid, supported by an MSD performance ignition system and chrome valve covers that confirm the engine has had attention paid to it.

Dual exhaust exits cleanly out the rear, and the underside of this car — which we have photographed on the lift — shows a well-maintained chassis with no visible rust perforation and a properly coated undercarriage. What separates this 1980 Chevrolet Corvette from a standard C3 is the Greenwood Daytona Package. John Greenwood was a Corvette racer and customizer who made a name for himself campaigning wide-body Corvettes at Le Mans and Daytona in the early 1970s.

His road cars were offered as aftermarket conversions and carried serious credibility in the performance community. The Daytona package adds a full widebody aerodynamic body kit — extended front fascia, flared fenders, and a rear tail treatment — that gives this 1980 Corvette a dramatically different profile than the factory car. These conversions were expensive when new and are not common today.

They represent a specific chapter in C3 Corvette customization history that is increasingly recognized by collectors. The odometer in the photos reads approximately 39,356 miles. That figure is consistent with a car that has been driven and enjoyed rather than stored, but not abused.

Features List - 5.7 Liter H.O. 350ci V8 - 3-Speed Automatic Transmission - Greenwood Daytona Widebody Aerodynamic Package - MSD Performance Ignition System - Dual Exhaust - Bilstein Shocks — front and rear, visible on the lift photos - 4-Wheel Disc Brakes - BFGoodrich Radial T/A Tires - Cast Aluminum Wheels - Chrome Valve Covers - T-Tops - Tan Leather Bucket Seats - Center Console - Tilt-Telescopic Steering Column - Tachometer - Upgraded Stereo (modern head unit, DIN-mounted in factory console location) - Air Conditioning - Power Steering - Power Brakes - Power Windows - Crystal Claret Exterior - Tan Leather Interior Mechanical The engine in this 1980 Chevrolet Corvette is the 350 cubic inch small block V8 wearing 5.7 Liter H.O. air cleaner identification. The MSD ignition box is mounted in the engine bay and is clearly visible in the photos — MSD's capacitive discharge systems were a popular and well-regarded upgrade for the C3 Corvette because the factory electronic ignition of the late 1970s left power on the table. Chrome Chevrolet valve covers dress the top end.

Dual exhaust runs the full length of the car and exits through the widebody rear fascia. The underside photos show large-diameter exhaust tubing routed cleanly through a blacked-out chassis that shows no significant rust. The suspension tells a useful story on the lift.

Bilstein shocks are fitted at all four corners — identifiable by the yellow bodies visible in the undercarriage photos. Bilstein's monotube gas-pressure design was and remains a significant upgrade over the stock C3 shocks, providing better damping consistency and reduced fade under repeated inputs. The C3 Corvette's independent rear suspension, which uses a transverse leaf spring and U-jointed half-shafts as lateral links, is fully intact and presents well.

Four-wheel disc brakes are standard equipment on the 1980 Corvette and are confirmed here. The 3-speed automatic transmission sends power rearward through a conventional driveshaft. Tires are BFGoodrich Radial T/A, a period-correct and historically appropriate c

Classic Chevrolet Corvette Buyer's Guide

Full guide
M
Mike Sullivan
Muscle Cars
1953–1982
~6 min read
Updated Apr 2026
Complete buyer's guide for classic Chevrolet Corvette C1, C2 and C3 (1953-1982). Birdcage rust, frame inspection, engine code identification, and current market pricing for split-windows, L88s and LT-1s.
This guide covers
10-point inspection checklist
Common issues & what to avoid
In-person inspection guide
Market pricing by year & condition
5 FAQs answered
History & fun facts

Chevrolet Corvette Market Overview

Based on 631 Chevrolet Corvette listings currently on ClassicCarsArena.com

631
Listed Now
$40,692
Avg. Asking Price
1953–1999
Year Range
Price Position on Our Site — Average Range
This car: $39,997
Low: $4,000 High: $299,995
Transmission Distribution
Automatic 47% ◄
Manual 37%
Condition Distribution
Excellent 13%
Good 12%
Fair 5%
Poor 0%
Data from ClassicCarsArena.com listings Browse all 631 listings →
💰

What is this car worth?

Check sold prices for the 1980 Chevrolet Corvette

Valuation Tool →

Classic Chevrolet Corvette Buyer's Guide

The Chevrolet Corvette has been America's sports car for over seventy years, but the classic Corvette market splits into three distinct generations, each with its own buyer profile and its own pitfalls. The C1 (1953-1962), C2 mid-year (1963-1967), and C3 shark (1968-1982) cover three decades of evolution from solid-axle straight-six convertibles to small-block legends to LT-1-powered chrome-bumper cars. Knowing which Corvette is yours — and what it actually is versus what the seller claims — is the difference between a sound investment and an expensive lesson.

What to Check Before Buying

Verify dashboard VIN against trim tag and engine partial VIN — All three must agree. Engine partial VIN is on driver-side block deck near cylinder head.
Demand original tank sticker for any car over $60K — Glued inside top of gas tank. Lists all original options. Gold standard for premium Corvette verification.
Order NCRS Shipping Data Report ($50) — Available from National Corvette Restorers Society. Confirms original equipment from GM records.
Inspect birdcage at door frames and cowl — Pull door panels, lift carpet at windshield base. Perforation = $8,000-$25,000 structural repair.
Probe frame at kick-up and rear cross-member — Solid steel resists; rotten metal flakes. Frame replacement is $15,000-$30,000 if needed.
Examine fiberglass under raking light — Stress cracks at body mounts, headlight buckets, rear panel. Deep cracks = impact damage or chassis flex.
Check T-top seals and headliner (C3) — Water staining indicates failed seals. Leaks rot birdcage from inside.
Verify Big Block valvetrain on cold start — Solid-lifter L72/L78/L88/ZL1 should tick and subside with oil pressure. Continuous noise = valve adjustment or worn lifters.
Compression test all eight cylinders — Should read 145-185 PSI uniformly across the bank. Variance >15% = head gasket or ring problem.
Test all electrical and pop-up headlights (C3) — Vacuum-actuated headlights commonly fail. Hidden leaks in vacuum lines drop the lights at speed.

Common Issues

Corvette "birdcage" rust is the structural killer for C2 and C3 cars. The birdcage is the steel inner structure that supports the fiberglass body — windshield frame, A-pillars, doglegs, and roof. When the birdcage rots, the body flexes, glass cracks, and door alignment goes off. Birdcage repair on a C2 or C3 is $8,000-$25,000 depending on extent. Frame rust on C1 (boxed steel) and C3 (X-frame) Corvettes is the second major concern. The kickup behind the front wheels, the rear suspension mounting points, and the rear cross-member all rot in salt-belt cars. Probe the frame with a screwdriver — solid steel resists, rotten metal flakes. Mechanical issues vary by generation. C1s commonly have weak Powerglide automatics and tired solid-lifter 283 fuelies. C2s have strong drivetrains but the leaf-spring rear suspension wears bushings and the differential carriers crack. C3s suffer from sloppy T-tops that leak, failing radiators, and worn front coil springs that sag the front end. The L88 cars (1967-1969) had aluminum heads that crack from heat cycling — a deal-breaker if not previously addressed.

What to Look For

VIN authentication is the first stop. The C1 and C2 cars used the dashboard VIN plate; the C3 added the windshield-pillar VIN starting in 1968. Cross-reference the VIN against the trim tag (riveted to the body brace under the glovebox or on the firewall depending on year) and against the engine block partial VIN. Big Block cars (1965+ 396, 1966+ 427, 1970+ 454) and Z06/L88/ZL1 specials must have all numbers matching to claim premium prices. For C2 and C3 cars, inspect the birdcage. Pull the door panels and look at the inner door structure. Lift the carpet at the windshield base and look at the inner cowl. Pull the headliner if practical and look at the roof structure on coupes. Surface rust is acceptable; perforation is structural and expensive to repair. For any high-dollar Corvette claim — L71 427/435, L88, ZL1, Z06, LT-1 — demand the original tank sticker (the build sheet that was glued to the inside top of the gas tank). Tank stickers are the gold standard for verification. Cross-reference the tank sticker codes against the VIN and the engine block partial VIN. Fiberglass condition is uniquely Corvette. Look for stress cracks at the body mount points, around the headlight buckets, and at the rear panel where the bumpers attach. Surface gel-coat cracks are cosmetic; deeper structural cracks indicate impact damage or chassis flex.

Price Guide

C1 (1953-1962) Corvettes range from $45,000 for solid 1958-1962 driver-quality 283 V8 cars up to $300,000+ for documented 1957-1962 fuelie cars in concours condition. The 1953 launch year (only 300 built) is a special case — documented original 1953s sell for $200,000-$400,000. C2 (1963-1967) is the most coveted Corvette generation. The 1963 split-window coupe is the icon — $95,000-$200,000 for drivers and survivors, $300,000+ for documented L84 fuelie cars. 1965-1967 396/427 Big Blocks are $85,000-$180,000 for drivers, with documented L71 Tri-Power cars at $140,000-$280,000. The 1967 L88 is the holy grail — only 20 were built — and documented examples bring $2.5M-$5M at auction. C3 (1968-1982) is the bargain entry to Corvette ownership. Driver-quality 1968-1972 small-blocks run $22,000-$42,000. The 1970-1972 LT-1 (small-block, solid-lifter, 350-360 hp) is the underrated gem at $45,000-$85,000 for documented numbers-matching cars. 1973-1977 cars are the bargain era at $15,000-$28,000. 1978 silver anniversary and 1982 Collector Edition cars trade for $22,000-$35,000.

Did You Know?

The Corvette name was suggested by GM PR director Myron Scott — named after the small, fast warship class. GM trademarked "Corvette" in May 1953, just one month before the car's June launch. The 1963 split-window coupe was a Bill Mitchell design that survived for only one model year. Zora Arkus-Duntov, the Corvette's chief engineer, hated the split window because it killed rearward visibility, and he successfully lobbied to remove it for the 1964 model year. The one-year-only design is now the most iconic Corvette body style ever produced. Only 20 L88 Corvettes were built for 1967, and Chevrolet deliberately under-rated the engine at 430 horsepower to keep insurance companies off the buyer's back. The L88 actually produced approximately 540 horsepower in road-going trim and was conceived purely as a homologation special for road racing — Chevrolet refused to install a heater, radio, or AM/FM in any L88, telling buyers to special-order them at the dealer if they actually wanted comfort features.

Similar Listings

Contact Seller

Share only if you'd like the seller to call you directly.

By contacting this seller you accept the Visitors Agreement

Call this seller?

You're about to call WeBe Autos about the 1980 Chevrolet Corvette.

+1 (631) 339-0399

Before you call: Never wire money or share bank info over the phone. Read our scam-avoidance tips.
Call Now

Send to a Friend

Share this 1980 Chevrolet Corvette listing.

Report this Ad

Help us keep the marketplace clean. Our moderation team reviews every report within 24 hours.